Litter Training Your Cat is as Simple as It Gets

If you're planning on getting a new cat, you need to think about litter training right away. It's important that your cat doesn't become confused about where it's supposed to do its business. You want to make sure it knows to use its litter box, not your furniture. There's a strong and unpleasant odor to cat urine, and it's difficult to get the smell out of your carpet or couch. So it's very important that you get started on this just as soon as your new cat arrives in its new home.

Fortunately, the process is very simple. Cat toilet training doesn't take any special skills or a huge investment of time. And once your kitty has learned where to go, that's normally all it takes for your cat to eliminate its waste in the appropriate location. And that means you don't have to worry about trying to get the cat smell out of your bedding.

All you really need in order to train your cat to use the litter box is a box and some cat litter. When it comes to choosing a litter box, make sure it's large enough for your cat to move around a bit and get enough distance to be able to bury the evidence with ease. It doesn't have to be gigantic, but it needs to be larger than your cat.

There are more choices when it comes to cat litter, however. Most cats will be fine with any product, but some are more finicky than others. There are some products that are scented, some are fragrance free, and some contain baking soda to mask the odor. There's clumping litter that you just scoop out daily, and regular litter where you have to change the whole box from time to time. Start with whatever kind you want, but make sure your cat is okay with it. Keep an eye on the situation so you can see if your cat is responding well to whatever kind you've brought home.

The location of the litter box is also very important. You need to find a spot that's secluded and calm. If you locate the litter box right beside the washing machine or dryer, your cat might avoid it completely and choose instead to do its business on your couch or even a plant.

Once you have everything you need and it's all positioned appropriately, all you have to do next is place your cat inside the litter box. Really, that's it. Once it knows where its box is, your cat will return to it every time. By nature, cats go in soil or sand, and then cover it up when they're done. They do this in order to conceal their presence from both predators and prey. It's certainly one of the characteristics of a cat that make it such a great pet.